1. Field of the Invention
The current invention relates generally to connector architectures, and more particularly to a J2EE connector architecture for managing resource adapters.
2. Background
The Java™ 2 Platform, Enterprise Edition (J2EE), from Sun Microsystems, Inc. of Palo Alto, Calif., defines a standard for developing multi-tier enterprise applications. A J2EE Connector Architecture is useful for the integration of J2EE-compliant application servers with at least one enterprise information system (EIS). There are typically two parts to this architecture: an EIS vendor-provided resource adapter and an application server to which the resource adapter plugs in. The J2EE Connector Architecture also defines a common client interface (CCI) that can be used to access an EIS. A CCI defines a client API for interacting with heterogeneous EIS systems, which enables application components and Enterprise Application Integration (EAI) frameworks to drive interactions across heterogeneous EIS systems using a common client API.
A resource adapter is a segment of code that represents an Enterprise Information System (EIS). More specifically, a resource adaptor is a system-level software driver used by an application server, such as WebLogic Server, to connect to an enterprise information system (EIS). A resource adapter serves as the “J2EE connector.” The connector architecture implementation supports resource adapters developed by EIS vendors and third-party application developers that can be deployed in any application server supporting the Sun Microsystems J2EE Platform Specification, Version 1.3. Resource adapters contain the Java, and if necessary, the native components required to interact with the EIS.
J2EE Connector Architecture is an architecture for integrating J2EE-compliant application servers with enterprise information systems (EIS). There are two parts to this architecture: an EIS vendor-provided resource adapter and an application server, such as WebLogic Server, by BEA Systems of San Jose, Calif., to which the resource adapter plugs in. This architecture defines a set of contracts, such as transactions, security, and connection management, that both the resource adapter and application server need to support to communicate with one another. The J2EE Connector Architecture also defines a Common Client Interface (CCI) for EIS access. The CCI defines a client API for interacting with heterogeneous EIS's.
What is needed is an improved connector architecture implementation system that is more efficient and allows an administrator to monitor and make changes to connections within the application server as needed.